Return as different people
Our team flew back to Chongqing on Friday afternoon. We checked into the Best Western Premier which was a great hotel. Situated right next to a Starbucks made it very attractive. Being back in a big city allowed us to partake in a non-Chinese restaurant. We ate a great Italian meal at Annie’s restaurant. Pizza, calzones, lasagna, and tortellini tasted extremely good.
On Saturday we toured the most famous sites in Beijing. We walked around Tiananmen Square where many historic events have occurred. Many of the team also visited the mausoleum of Chairman Mao. It was a surreal moment to being standing on Tiananmen Square very close to the Forbidden City. It was lightly raining the entire time which made visibility limited.
We also walked to the National Opera House which is right next to the Forbidden City. It is a massive complex shaped like an egg. The design was beautiful and unique.
What trip to China would be complete without the Golden Arches? Yes, for lunch we ate at McDonalds and savored the burgers and French fries. After lunch, it was time to do some serious shopping. We were dropped off at the Silk Alley and shopped for 3 hours. It was fun and nerve wracking to bargain shop. It is quite the experience to bargain for every item that you purchase. Every time you would pass a stall someone would yell out “Hey beautiful lady” or “you need new purse.” Some of the team were “accosted” by over-zealous merchants. There are great deals to be found on electronics, clothes, luggage, purses, silk, tailor-made suits, dresses and Chinese souvenirs. One item that is great to purchase in China is pearls. You can get quality pearls at a much lower price than in the US.
Another “must-do” in Beijing is go to a Peking Duck restaurant. We ate at a great restaurant with wonderful food and a Roasted Duck was sliced and prepared in our private room.
Beijing is a world class city which has so much to offer. It is very apparent that hosting the Olympics has energized the city and transformed much of its feel. It will be fun for our team to watch the Olympics in August as Beijing and China have become familiar friends.
On Sunday we checked out of our hotel and went to a church service at Beijing International Christian Fellowship. The church has many nationalities. Worshipping there was a great indicator of what to expect in heaven. We met some Alabama friends for a Chinese lunch at a restaurant near the 21st century hotel where the BICF service occurred. It was our last truly Chinese meal and we ordered many of our favorites. Although we are sure that we need a break from Chinese food for awhile, we will be better knowledgeable about Chinese food for the rest of our lives. We left for the airport and arrived in plenty of time for our trip. There were many familiar restaurants at the airport such as Burger King, Starbucks, KFC, and TCBY. Again we were blown away by the majesty of this airport. It is undoubtedly the nicest and largest airport in the world. Saying goodbye to our Chinese guide Fondona was difficult as she has been with us the entire trip. She has blessed us with her knowledge and love for her country and we hope to have been a blessing to her also.
Departing China was difficult on some levels as this has been a very meaningful trip. We have visited orphans in their distress and experienced true religion. As a team it is our desire to continue to fight for justice for the orphans around the world. Our desire is to see them placed into families and to experience the love of God. Words and pictures are not sufficient to communicate what we have experienced. Our invitation to everyone reading this blog is to join us on a trip one day. Anticipate a life-changing and life-giving experience. There are many children waiting to be held and to hear that they have value and are loved. Come and give away a part of your life.
Monday, June 16, 2008
Sunday, June 15, 2008
Without our Daddy on Father's Day?!
For the last couple of years on Father's Day, we have shared our Daddy with children in Chinese orphanages. Through the work that we do and the children God has blessed us with to raise, Phil and I are repeatedly faced with the scars that are left behind on children from the loneliness of orphanage life. It is not something we share with many people in the areas where it affects our personal life, but it is something that forces us to take action. It forces us to not forget those that are left behind who may never find their forever family on this earth. It is something that grows out of our blessings of Lily and Kate. They have shown us the worthiness of each individual child. They have shown us how great the need really is. They have given us the urgency that we needed to begin what seems like an enormous task of being a friend to the fatherless.
So Father's Day without our Daddy is somehow more significant to me as it gives me a fresh thankfulness of the sacrifices my wonderful husband makes to heal and love my sweet Lily and Kate and to give of himself to those who know no earthly father. Here is a little gift to our wonderful Daddy. Our Daddy who has given us the most precious gift of all...himself.
So Father's Day without our Daddy is somehow more significant to me as it gives me a fresh thankfulness of the sacrifices my wonderful husband makes to heal and love my sweet Lily and Kate and to give of himself to those who know no earthly father. Here is a little gift to our wonderful Daddy. Our Daddy who has given us the most precious gift of all...himself.
Friday, June 13, 2008
Last day in Jiang Jin
Today, we had a big birthday bash for all the kids! Phil, F, and Emily went shopping for supplies yesterday afternoon, and we came armed with wrapped gifts, balloons, streamers, and cake. We had our first "party" with the healthy kids, and it was so great to see them playing with all the donated gifts (while getting pretty hyped up on cake!). We were able to sing to them and get photos of each in their birthday hats. The special needs kids were also glad to have a reason to party. We were able to meet other Americans who study here in China during their weekly visit to the orphanage, who had the kids dressed up with colored paper masks to welcome us. We had quite a rowdy crowd, with plenty of icing smeared all over little faces. One of the best parts of the day was seeing little Yao-Yao, who has shown very little emotion during the week, smiling and giggling. She was also reaching up to people, which is a very good sign. It was encouraging to see our affection making a small difference in the life of little Yao-Yao. It was really hard to leave the special needs ward. There understood that we were leaving for good, and there were so many tears. One of the older girls, Jing-Jing, sobbed and told us (via an interpreter) that she didn't want us to leave. It was an emotionally tiring day.
Thursday in Jiang Jin
The past two days here in Chongqing have been busy and emotional. Yesterday morning, we continued ministering to the kids in the orphanage by playing on the playground. It was strange to see kids who literally didn't know how to play: we had to show them how to climb, slide, and swing. Most caught on pretty quickly though, and it was exciting to see the smiles and hear the laughs of carefree children, especially from those who seemed so removed and listless at the beginning of the week. They seem to love getting downstairs and into the sun!Leaving the healthy kids to head back to the hotel for lunch yesterday was heartbreaking. Several people on our team have connected strongly with certain children, and saying goodbye was hard even though we knew we would see them one more time. Lunch was an encouraging time for each of us though, as we recharged and prepared for an afternoon with the special needs kids.
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Wednesday in Jiang Jin...
"On Wednesday we reconnected with our wonderful new friends at the orphanage. They are warming up to us more and more each day. Each child is beginning to smile more and desiring to be held. It is amazing the long-term impact that one-on-one attention can have on these children. If only there were more workers to help out. The best thing is for these children to be adopted into a family with the second best option to be placed in a foster care family. The director told us yesterday that they don't receive enough funding from the government to place the children in foster families. They hope to in the future. We did see a Chinese couple come to the orphanage and appear to be looking at the two boys who were there. We hope that they will be able to adopt one of these children. We met a few American friends who lived in Chongqing and they spent the afternoon and evening with us. It was great to hear about life for an American "foreigner" living in China and about working here. For dinner, we had a traditional Chongqing hotpot experience. There is a boiling pot of water in the middle of the table with two sections. One section is non-spicy, and the other section is "slap-your-mama" spicy. Many of Team Alabama ate chicken feet and duck intestines. When in Jiang Jin, do as Jiang Jin does. It was a wonderful experience."
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Tuesday in Jiang Jin...
"Super Tuesday
Tuesday was our 2nd day at the orphanage. We decided to do the same schedule as Monday which was to spend time with the non-special needs children in the morning and spend time with the special needs children in the afternoon. After our bumpy ride over the Yangtze, we arrived and were met by children ready to play. The toddlers had their shoes on and were just waiting for our arrival. The orphanage has a wonderful playground that was donated by an Australian group. It is neat to see the older children look out for the younger children. Some of us stayed with the toddlers and some went to the room with the babies. It was hot and humid today. To entertain ourselves, we sang songs ranging from country music to Elvis to Motown to Southern Gospel. I am sure the children thought we were crazy.
When it became too hot, we took the toddlers back up the stairs to the 3rd floor. Unfortunately, the orphanage increased by one today. A baby girl was found in the village and turned in to the police. The police brought the girl to the orphanage to be taken care of. The doctor cared for the fresh umbilical cord and the baby was wrapped up and placed in a crib. There is no words to describe the breaking heart associated with seeing a newborn begin their new life in an institution when they should be with their birth mother. Our team was impacted by the moment.
There was a positive as were asked to name the little girl. After we realized there wasn’t a Chinese character to name her “Alabama”, we decided on the name Grace. Her Chinese name will be Jiang Fu Ge. We pray that she will experience the significance of her name.
After lunch back at the hotel, we returned to the orphanage to spend time with the special needs children. Each one of the children have their own individual story and personality. Some have limited handicaps and some have severe. We are able to take some down the stairs to play which they love. They are unable to go downstairs usually because there aren’t enough nannies to properly care for them. When a group comes, they are enthusiastic in taking the chance to get outside. There are few sounds greater in life than some of the laughs of these children.
It saddens us to realize the life of some of these children. They receive wonderful care from the orphanage but will still struggle their entire lives physically and mentally. We remind them in word and song they are fearfully and wonderfully made."
Tuesday was our 2nd day at the orphanage. We decided to do the same schedule as Monday which was to spend time with the non-special needs children in the morning and spend time with the special needs children in the afternoon. After our bumpy ride over the Yangtze, we arrived and were met by children ready to play. The toddlers had their shoes on and were just waiting for our arrival. The orphanage has a wonderful playground that was donated by an Australian group. It is neat to see the older children look out for the younger children. Some of us stayed with the toddlers and some went to the room with the babies. It was hot and humid today. To entertain ourselves, we sang songs ranging from country music to Elvis to Motown to Southern Gospel. I am sure the children thought we were crazy.
When it became too hot, we took the toddlers back up the stairs to the 3rd floor. Unfortunately, the orphanage increased by one today. A baby girl was found in the village and turned in to the police. The police brought the girl to the orphanage to be taken care of. The doctor cared for the fresh umbilical cord and the baby was wrapped up and placed in a crib. There is no words to describe the breaking heart associated with seeing a newborn begin their new life in an institution when they should be with their birth mother. Our team was impacted by the moment.
There was a positive as were asked to name the little girl. After we realized there wasn’t a Chinese character to name her “Alabama”, we decided on the name Grace. Her Chinese name will be Jiang Fu Ge. We pray that she will experience the significance of her name.
After lunch back at the hotel, we returned to the orphanage to spend time with the special needs children. Each one of the children have their own individual story and personality. Some have limited handicaps and some have severe. We are able to take some down the stairs to play which they love. They are unable to go downstairs usually because there aren’t enough nannies to properly care for them. When a group comes, they are enthusiastic in taking the chance to get outside. There are few sounds greater in life than some of the laughs of these children.
It saddens us to realize the life of some of these children. They receive wonderful care from the orphanage but will still struggle their entire lives physically and mentally. We remind them in word and song they are fearfully and wonderfully made."
Monday, June 09, 2008
Finally! A Picture Update...
Just got this from Phil...
"First Day at the Orphanage
At 9am we drove to the orphanage to meet the children for the first time. Director Zhao met us and showed us around. To get to the orphanage from our hotel we took a bridge over the Yangtze river which is a very significant river in China. After passing over some bumpy roads, we were able to see more of rural life in China. After a brief introduction to the orphanage staff, we met the smaller babies and children. There were about 18 children ranging from one week old to approximately 4 years old. They appeared to be in good health. Our team spent time playing, holding and singing every one of the children. It was great to hear some of the children laugh and sad to see the others who wouldn't laugh. The orphanage does a good job in caring for their children. We just wish that these children had mommies and daddies to care for them.
After eating lunch back at the hotel, we went back to the orphanage. This time we spent the entire afternoon with the special needs children who live in a separate building. We had the privilege to pick up as many as possible and take them down to the playground. It is apparent that they don't get to do this very often. They had a BLAST. Many of them were laughing as we played with them. Some of our team stayed with a few of the children who weren't able to leave their rooms. It was difficult on many levels to spend time with these children but very rewarding. We look forward to 4 more days with them hoping to bless them as they bless us.
For dinner on Monday night, we went to a place that specializes in chicken. We know the chicken is very fresh because Tim and Phil actually got to pick out the chicken that was to participate in our meal. Strange but true. We had a great chicken and vegetable dinner before heading back to the hotel. We reminded ourselves that as we visit those in need, we are visiting our own savior.
"
"First Day at the Orphanage
At 9am we drove to the orphanage to meet the children for the first time. Director Zhao met us and showed us around. To get to the orphanage from our hotel we took a bridge over the Yangtze river which is a very significant river in China. After passing over some bumpy roads, we were able to see more of rural life in China. After a brief introduction to the orphanage staff, we met the smaller babies and children. There were about 18 children ranging from one week old to approximately 4 years old. They appeared to be in good health. Our team spent time playing, holding and singing every one of the children. It was great to hear some of the children laugh and sad to see the others who wouldn't laugh. The orphanage does a good job in caring for their children. We just wish that these children had mommies and daddies to care for them.
After eating lunch back at the hotel, we went back to the orphanage. This time we spent the entire afternoon with the special needs children who live in a separate building. We had the privilege to pick up as many as possible and take them down to the playground. It is apparent that they don't get to do this very often. They had a BLAST. Many of them were laughing as we played with them. Some of our team stayed with a few of the children who weren't able to leave their rooms. It was difficult on many levels to spend time with these children but very rewarding. We look forward to 4 more days with them hoping to bless them as they bless us.
For dinner on Monday night, we went to a place that specializes in chicken. We know the chicken is very fresh because Tim and Phil actually got to pick out the chicken that was to participate in our meal. Strange but true. We had a great chicken and vegetable dinner before heading back to the hotel. We reminded ourselves that as we visit those in need, we are visiting our own savior.
"
Text message from Phil this morning...
"Can't use internet tonight. Good day at orphanage today. 20 healthy and 15 special needs children. Some are really sad. Glad we got Kate and Lily out."
Sunday, June 08, 2008
Update from Jiang Jin!
I just talked to Phil on the Webcam. All is well. He sent the following post. He is having a hard time sending pictures, but here is the text...
"Great time at the Great wall
On Saturday it was good to sleep a little later after being sleep deprived on a long trip. We had a great breakfast at the Best Western with everything you could want (except for grits). At 9am we left on a bus to drive to the Badaling section of the Great Wall. This section is the most famous of the Great Wall. And also the most crowded. It is amazing to be driving on the highway and then to begin to see sections of the Great Wall winding through the mountains in the distance. We began our trek and were amazed at some of the very steep parts. It was unusually hazy and cool so the vision was limited. There is no feeling to describe actually being at one of the Great Wonders of the world. It was majestic.
On our way back from the Great Wall, we drove past many of the Olympic venues. China has done an unbelievable job in preparing to host the Olympics. We saw the main stadium, which the Chinese have named "The Bird Nest" due to its unusual architecture. We also saw the Aquatic center, the athletes village, and other sporting venues. The summer Olympics in Beijing should be spectacular.
We returned back to our hotel to get prepared for our flight to Chongqing which leaves early in the morning. The team is anticipating getting to Jiang jin and spending time with the children.
Dragon boats and Zongzi
Sunday June 8 in China is a national holiday. The Dragon Boat Festival is commemorated by dragon boat races and eating zongzi. Zongzi is a glutinous rice dumpling treat usually covered in bamboo leaves. The festival celebrates the death of the great poet Qu Yuan. He drowned himself because he felt the country was heading in the wrong direction. His followers hopped in their boats to retrieve his body. They threw zongzi in the river so that the fish and crabs would leave Qu Yuan's body alone. China's culture and history is amazing.
We flew for 2 hours to Chongqing and were able to spread out with extra space on the plane. Bummed that we didn't find a Starbucks on the way, we drank Chinese tea and coffee.
We arrived in Chongqing amid the rain. Chongqing is a HUGE and growing city in Southwest China. China is pouring a lot of resources into making Chongqing an important gateway city. After driving into the city, we decided that we wanted to truly experience the culture. So we ate lunch at Pizza Hut. Ok, we compromised by eating at an American establishment but we knew that we would only be eating Chinese food for the next 6 days. Right next to the Pizza Hut is a Starbucks so we looked the part of the typical American walking down the street with a Starbucks in hand. Then we visited the old city of Chongqing. It was a fascinating look at what the city looked like hundreds of years ago.
We boarded a bus headed for Jiang Jin and traveled for approximately one hour. During the ride we were entertained by the vocal talents of Tim Bennett as he led us in songs by the Doobie Brothers, Charlie Daniels, Jason Sears and the Bee Gees. We had a fun time singing on the bus.
We arrived in Jiang Jin about 4pm. It was good to get out of the big cities and to get a view of what typical Chinese cities are like. We definitely get stared at more here than Beijing or Chongqing. We ate dinner at the Shugou Garden Hotel and then went to the supermarket across the road. After that, we headed to bed as we awoke early this morning. Tomorrow morning the orphanage director will meet us at the hotel and we will spend time with the children. We are uncertain what to expect but are excited about our day.
Thanks to each of you for thinking about us and standing in the gap. We feel that we are not alone here."
"Great time at the Great wall
On Saturday it was good to sleep a little later after being sleep deprived on a long trip. We had a great breakfast at the Best Western with everything you could want (except for grits). At 9am we left on a bus to drive to the Badaling section of the Great Wall. This section is the most famous of the Great Wall. And also the most crowded. It is amazing to be driving on the highway and then to begin to see sections of the Great Wall winding through the mountains in the distance. We began our trek and were amazed at some of the very steep parts. It was unusually hazy and cool so the vision was limited. There is no feeling to describe actually being at one of the Great Wonders of the world. It was majestic.
On our way back from the Great Wall, we drove past many of the Olympic venues. China has done an unbelievable job in preparing to host the Olympics. We saw the main stadium, which the Chinese have named "The Bird Nest" due to its unusual architecture. We also saw the Aquatic center, the athletes village, and other sporting venues. The summer Olympics in Beijing should be spectacular.
We returned back to our hotel to get prepared for our flight to Chongqing which leaves early in the morning. The team is anticipating getting to Jiang jin and spending time with the children.
Dragon boats and Zongzi
Sunday June 8 in China is a national holiday. The Dragon Boat Festival is commemorated by dragon boat races and eating zongzi. Zongzi is a glutinous rice dumpling treat usually covered in bamboo leaves. The festival celebrates the death of the great poet Qu Yuan. He drowned himself because he felt the country was heading in the wrong direction. His followers hopped in their boats to retrieve his body. They threw zongzi in the river so that the fish and crabs would leave Qu Yuan's body alone. China's culture and history is amazing.
We flew for 2 hours to Chongqing and were able to spread out with extra space on the plane. Bummed that we didn't find a Starbucks on the way, we drank Chinese tea and coffee.
We arrived in Chongqing amid the rain. Chongqing is a HUGE and growing city in Southwest China. China is pouring a lot of resources into making Chongqing an important gateway city. After driving into the city, we decided that we wanted to truly experience the culture. So we ate lunch at Pizza Hut. Ok, we compromised by eating at an American establishment but we knew that we would only be eating Chinese food for the next 6 days. Right next to the Pizza Hut is a Starbucks so we looked the part of the typical American walking down the street with a Starbucks in hand. Then we visited the old city of Chongqing. It was a fascinating look at what the city looked like hundreds of years ago.
We boarded a bus headed for Jiang Jin and traveled for approximately one hour. During the ride we were entertained by the vocal talents of Tim Bennett as he led us in songs by the Doobie Brothers, Charlie Daniels, Jason Sears and the Bee Gees. We had a fun time singing on the bus.
We arrived in Jiang Jin about 4pm. It was good to get out of the big cities and to get a view of what typical Chinese cities are like. We definitely get stared at more here than Beijing or Chongqing. We ate dinner at the Shugou Garden Hotel and then went to the supermarket across the road. After that, we headed to bed as we awoke early this morning. Tomorrow morning the orphanage director will meet us at the hotel and we will spend time with the children. We are uncertain what to expect but are excited about our day.
Thanks to each of you for thinking about us and standing in the gap. We feel that we are not alone here."
Saturday, June 07, 2008
Random cuteness
I'm finding it harder and harder to stay up to date on posting pictures of the girls, but I don't want to forget these moments so I'm going to post some past pictures of random cuteness while Phil is gone before I post our beach pics.
A stroll down the street...
Kate and Lily love playing learning games on the computer. They always sit in the same chair and watch each other waiting for their turn.
A belated thanks to Grammie and Megan for the Girl Scout cookies...
Just sitting around the house in our Halloween costumes in the summer watching Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. Why not?!
After a hair cut. This picture is so old, we've gotten another hair cut since, but I love how thick their hair is getting! Interestingly, their hair whorls go in opposite directions.
This was my first try and buying the girls completely different gifts. I went to a consignment sale and bought Lily and "fairy dress" and Kate a view master and construction outfit. Both were so excited and there was absolutely no disappointment or comparing gifts! I'm sure I won't get that lucky all the time, but I was pretty proud of myself for pulling it off on my first try. :)
Kate was silently working by herself in the corner on Mr. Potatoe Head for an extended period of time. It was clear she had a plan in her head and was struggling to make it perfect. At last, she yelled with glee, "Look, Mommy! They are getting married!!" Lily thought it was so funny.
A stroll down the street...
Kate and Lily love playing learning games on the computer. They always sit in the same chair and watch each other waiting for their turn.
A belated thanks to Grammie and Megan for the Girl Scout cookies...
Just sitting around the house in our Halloween costumes in the summer watching Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. Why not?!
After a hair cut. This picture is so old, we've gotten another hair cut since, but I love how thick their hair is getting! Interestingly, their hair whorls go in opposite directions.
This was my first try and buying the girls completely different gifts. I went to a consignment sale and bought Lily and "fairy dress" and Kate a view master and construction outfit. Both were so excited and there was absolutely no disappointment or comparing gifts! I'm sure I won't get that lucky all the time, but I was pretty proud of myself for pulling it off on my first try. :)
Kate was silently working by herself in the corner on Mr. Potatoe Head for an extended period of time. It was clear she had a plan in her head and was struggling to make it perfect. At last, she yelled with glee, "Look, Mommy! They are getting married!!" Lily thought it was so funny.
Visit to the Great Wall and travel plans
I talked to Phil on the computer again this morning. They had seen the Great Wall. Unfortunately, it was cloudy so the view was not terrific, but they still had fun. Everyone is happy, but tired. I think they were all ready to go to bed early to prepare for travel the next morning. They have to get up at 4:30am to fly to Chongqing city (in Chongqing province) where they will take a bus to Jiang Jin city. They whole day will be filled with travel in preparation for their next day at the orphanage. Below are some pictures of Chongqing city that we took on our trip to adopt Lily and Kate (L and K are from Chongqing).
Friday, June 06, 2008
OMPC Mission's Trip Update
Phil is leading a trip to China serving orphans right now. He is using Lily and Kate's blog to update the friends and family of the members of the trip. He is going to send me the text and pictures as he has access to the internet. I'll put them on the blog as he sends them. Right now he has great internet access in Beijing, but as they travel to the more rural area in Chongqing, he may not have such access. So we'll see what we can do. I think he can also see the blog while in Beijing...so if I have time, I may post some pics of the girls that I've been working on to post so he can see them. We were able to video conference today so that the girls could see him over the computer and he could see them. So fun! It went great this morning. Lily was able to show him how she finally was able to snap her fingers and he was able to make silly faces at them to make them laugh. Kate didn't want to hang up and after we did, I went to the kitchen leaving her in the office and after a few minutes, I could hear Phil's voice again and she had called him back! (She is such a computer geek at 3 1/2!)
Tonight didn't go so well. Kate is really struggling with him being gone and she just cried the whole time saying she missed him and she wanted to go to China, too. She kept trying to disconnect us because she was mad at him for not taking her. Ugh.
Anyway...here is the message from Phil and the gang!...
"We are on our way
While most of you were sleeping at 330am Thursday morning, we were packing our cars headed to the Birmingham Airport. After many months of preparation, it was time to fly to China. After an initial stop in Chicago, we boarded the 747 that would take us to the literal other side of the world. It is amazing what you can do (or can't do) when you are stuck in a chair for 13 hours.
If any of you do not know our primary purpose, let me define it for you. Our team desires to bring love, compassion and a servant's heart to the people we meet in China. Most of our time will be spent in a Chinese orphanage near Chongqing, China. We will spend 5 days in the orphanage interacting with the children and hopefully blessing them as they will be blessing us. We will also be spending time experiencing the wonderful culture of China.
Due to the situation in China, we will be intentionally vague in these postings of our ultimate motivation for why we have traveled a world away. Please intercede for us often over the next 10 days. We hope to post as much as the internet connection allows. Tomorrow we travel to one of the great wonders of the world: The Great Wall of China.
We arrived at the Beijing airport and were blown away by the brand new international terminal. It has only been open the last two months and it has to be the largest and nicest terminal in the world. China is really gearing up for the Olympics. After an one hour drive to our hotel, we quickly changed and then went to a local restaurant for some delicious Chinese food. After buying some bottled water, we headed back to the hotel for a shower and some sleep. Our remote team member,
Ansley Kniskern, joined us this evening after flying in from Thailand.
We will get some rest tonight and see one of the wonders of the world tomorrow." 
Tonight didn't go so well. Kate is really struggling with him being gone and she just cried the whole time saying she missed him and she wanted to go to China, too. She kept trying to disconnect us because she was mad at him for not taking her. Ugh.
Anyway...here is the message from Phil and the gang!...
"We are on our way
While most of you were sleeping at 330am Thursday morning, we were packing our cars headed to the Birmingham Airport. After many months of preparation, it was time to fly to China. After an initial stop in Chicago, we boarded the 747 that would take us to the literal other side of the world. It is amazing what you can do (or can't do) when you are stuck in a chair for 13 hours.
If any of you do not know our primary purpose, let me define it for you. Our team desires to bring love, compassion and a servant's heart to the people we meet in China. Most of our time will be spent in a Chinese orphanage near Chongqing, China. We will spend 5 days in the orphanage interacting with the children and hopefully blessing them as they will be blessing us. We will also be spending time experiencing the wonderful culture of China.
Due to the situation in China, we will be intentionally vague in these postings of our ultimate motivation for why we have traveled a world away. Please intercede for us often over the next 10 days. We hope to post as much as the internet connection allows. Tomorrow we travel to one of the great wonders of the world: The Great Wall of China.
We arrived at the Beijing airport and were blown away by the brand new international terminal. It has only been open the last two months and it has to be the largest and nicest terminal in the world. China is really gearing up for the Olympics. After an one hour drive to our hotel, we quickly changed and then went to a local restaurant for some delicious Chinese food. After buying some bottled water, we headed back to the hotel for a shower and some sleep. Our remote team member,
Ansley Kniskern, joined us this evening after flying in from Thailand.
We will get some rest tonight and see one of the wonders of the world tomorrow."
Phil didn't send any pictures with this email, so this is a picture of him a the Great Wall from an earlier trip. If you post comments, I'll be sure the team gets them via email if they aren't able to access the blog in China....so comment away!
Saturday, May 03, 2008
What is Lily like these days?
Lily with the Lenses is what we introduce her as sometimes to help people remember which twin she is. It really should be Lily, the Lady with the Lenses as she is all things prissy! This photo captures her everyday look. I can't tell you how many times I've washed this little dress. I got it at a consignment shop and it is her favorite! She wears it all day at least once a week. With Lily, the more hair accessories and lip gloss with sparkles, the better. 
Here's another classic Lily photo below. She is dressed as her favorite princess, Sleeping Beauty. Knowing her, she is thinking something like, "Get the job done, but don't let 'em see you sweat."
I really haven't figured out yet whether she is introverted or extroverted, but which ever one it is, she is not an extreme. She likes to stay home a lot, but really enjoys her friends. (Katie likes to stay home, but only asks to play with Lily...she is introverted for sure).
The thinking face...
Here's another classic Lily photo below. She is dressed as her favorite princess, Sleeping Beauty. Knowing her, she is thinking something like, "Get the job done, but don't let 'em see you sweat."
I really haven't figured out yet whether she is introverted or extroverted, but which ever one it is, she is not an extreme. She likes to stay home a lot, but really enjoys her friends. (Katie likes to stay home, but only asks to play with Lily...she is introverted for sure).
Lily is very expressive both verbally and with her facial expressions. Here are a few of her "go to" poses.
The thumbs up...
The silly face...
The thinking face...
...and the "Aren't I adorable?" face...
Lily has a gift in language. She talks like a little Momma. She talks all the time. (No wonder Kate is quiet.) She knows all her letters upper case and lower case and can tell you what most words start with and can write all her letters as well. She is starting to read 3-letter words. The girl loves letters and words almost as much as she loves a sparkly princess shoe.
Of course, she loves fairies and ballerinas as well. She wants to be a ballerina when she grows up. She has learned some basic ballet positions from the Little Einsteins and tries to teach them to me. I can't even remember their names (one is arabesque??), but she has them down pat. Here is her fairy book that Ella, Emma and Jonah gave her.
Finally, two more shots of my little beauty...
She has some stuffed friends that she sleeps with, 2 lambs, 1 bear and her 2 Ba's. Here are the two Ba's. She named them Ba with Two Ears Together and the other is Ba with Two Ears Apart. Ba with Two Ears Together is the favorite and gets the all the snuggles while the other Ba sleeps at the foot of the bed with the other friends. Something about having too much stuffing between your ears, and you're ousted? (I'm not sure if I truly understand her logic behind that one, yet.)
Lily has a gift in language. She talks like a little Momma. She talks all the time. (No wonder Kate is quiet.) She knows all her letters upper case and lower case and can tell you what most words start with and can write all her letters as well. She is starting to read 3-letter words. The girl loves letters and words almost as much as she loves a sparkly princess shoe.
Of course, she loves fairies and ballerinas as well. She wants to be a ballerina when she grows up. She has learned some basic ballet positions from the Little Einsteins and tries to teach them to me. I can't even remember their names (one is arabesque??), but she has them down pat. Here is her fairy book that Ella, Emma and Jonah gave her.
Finally, two more shots of my little beauty...
Sunday, April 06, 2008
Easter pictures
I'm working on my post for Lily, but in the meantime...here are our Easter pictures. Lisa and I braved our first egg dyeing experience together. We did it in my tiny kitchen with 5 three year olds. It was actually really fun thanks to my sweet cousin Amelia who was staying with us that week. She spearheaded the dyeing while Lisa, Phil and I rotated the kids through her dyeing station.
Here is Lily enjoying her first chocolate Easter bunny that Sarah bought her.
Phil's parents came for Easter. What a treat!! Grammie and I took the girls out for Easter egg hunts on Saturday. We hit 3 in a row! First, the one at the library...
Exploring and comparing their treasures...
Exhausted and ready to go home by the end of the day....
I highly recommend the Resurrection Eggs sold by Familylife. Phil and I were struggling to communicate the Easter story to three year olds who didn't understand yet about death or sin. Everytime I started to explain, my words sounded too heavy for their little hearts. We were saved by the Resurrection Eggs. Phil did a great job of explaining it to them using the Eggs (except for the part he threw in about the Easter bunny working for Jesus - talk about "adding to the Gospel!") Anyway...the kids LOVED the Eggs and Phil's explanation and really got the concept of Easter as much as a three year old can.
Here is Lily enjoying her first chocolate Easter bunny that Sarah bought her.
Phil's parents came for Easter. What a treat!! Grammie and I took the girls out for Easter egg hunts on Saturday. We hit 3 in a row! First, the one at the library...
Exploring and comparing their treasures...
Next stop... the state park. The girls caught a glimpse of the Easter bunny. Here is Kate on the lookout for him again.
There he is!!
Last stop...the neighborhood Easter egg hunt. Lily tied for first in the egg hunting contest. She actually would have won the whole thing if I hadn't taken some of hers out of her basket and put them in Kate's almost empty basket. What a bad mommy! I didn't know it was a contest...I just didn't want to hear the candy fights all day!
This is why Kate doesn't find many eggs...she is more concerned about what is IN the eggs than how many she gets.
Exhausted and ready to go home by the end of the day....
I highly recommend the Resurrection Eggs sold by Familylife. Phil and I were struggling to communicate the Easter story to three year olds who didn't understand yet about death or sin. Everytime I started to explain, my words sounded too heavy for their little hearts. We were saved by the Resurrection Eggs. Phil did a great job of explaining it to them using the Eggs (except for the part he threw in about the Easter bunny working for Jesus - talk about "adding to the Gospel!") Anyway...the kids LOVED the Eggs and Phil's explanation and really got the concept of Easter as much as a three year old can.
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